Reading Your Heart
by Heart's Cross
Summary: A meeting through a line of cherry blossoms changed everything. Two innocent hearts bloom their love for each other, but they seem to not know of their mutual affections. With actions leading to another, can their love be said?
1. Still With You

**Author's Note:** My first Nanoha and Fate fanfiction! Yush! Please expect that I'm still a newbie, and my deepest condolences for not updating any Kannazuki no Miko chapters.

I'd like to say that this one-shot is pretty cheesy. It's filled with fluffiness, cheesiness, and of course, girl's love. This has very little angst, but don't let that stop you from reading it. I assure you though, that this is an innocent, adorable fanfiction—obviously the K+ Rating says so. Besides, that, don't fuss about this, YuunoxNanoha/ChronoxFate Fans.

**General Note:** This is slightly out of character especially with Fate's personality. She wouldn't be that modest around people, but this is just **my** ideal relationship of Nanoha and Fate. If it were to happen, I'll be darn happy. I'd like to make their relationship more like them being actual girls without the stereotypical dominant and submissive. Sure, Fate as an agressive type was always expected from readers while Nanoha was the feeble one, but it was saying that there's a "guy" and "girl" relationship IN a homosexual relationship. I don't want to hear any seme or uke in Yuri, I'm serious. This is girl's love, people! Just saying! Seriously, they should have made this anime into a Fujieda Miyabi style of yuri. It would be soooooo cuuuuuute! *nosebleeds* This doesn't take place in Mid-Childa. Instead, it's in Nanoha's hometown.

**New Note: **I took off the Japanese phrases excluding Nanoha's expressions because someone complained about it. =_=' I know this is English, but it doesn't hurt to put some Japanese on this; I'll still keep the honorifics. There are typos because I put first person point-of-view before, there would be some incorrect pronouns for this narration.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters from the mangas and animes, Magical Girl (Record) Lyrical Nanoha (A's/StrikerS/ViVid/Force) which are owned by Masaki Tsuzuki, Seven Arcs, Toei Animation & Geneon Entertainment.

With that said, enjoy! This is my thanks to anyone who supported A Granted Love!

* * *

><p>An edged-ponytail for a brown-haired girl like Nanoha Takamachi was enough to settle a facile hairstyle. A dark blue cardigan, a light blue striped tank top, a beige skirt, and a top of red scarf around her neck were the start of her day. And yet...<p>

"Mou...there aren't any jobs for me to apply to," two hands touched both of her knees as her head faced the ground, scurrying the sidewalk between stores from left and right, "I don't understand why she had to fire me, I was such a hardworking girl."

Just as the disappointed school girl passed another shop she did not take a personal interest in, she resumed to walk for finding more job-wanted locations until she surrendered.

Before long, she sauntered near a park where only one person lingered. Despite that person was innumerable steps away from Nanoha, she could clearly see a female.

A blond-headed young woman with a single ponytail appeared right before blue gems came across a corner of flourished cherry blossoms to the place where the petals belonged—the blooming hardwood. She, who nearly had the same height as Nanoha and who seemed to be the same age as her, was silently sitting under a cherry tree assisted with a book upon her lap. Moreover, her feet were resting on shades of green grass and of collapsed cherry blossoms, her head slightly slanting adjacent to the solid tree. An overall with white sleeves in four settled buttons, a dark dress pants along her black-jet, dress shoes confirmed that she was an intellect. Her bloodshot orbs with rectangular, reading glasses had an impression of strictness, yet the way she gaped at her booklet was eternally mortifying. Her nose was perfect, her skin was as light as snow, and her hair was smothered with Japanese flowers, including every part of her appearance flawless. Believe it or not, the lady looked as if she was on the verge of repose.

The femme attained herself of slowly pacing to her path and soon found out that the person fell into a deep slumber. The book was still open from her lap, sets of soft breeze coupled with a line of cherry blossoms pressing her whole body. The pages that needed to close turned repeatedly by the multiple occurrences of wind. Nanoha knew it was her chance of trying to find out who this mademoiselle was. She did not know why, but she seemed extremely familiar.

In the nick of time, Nanoha was already seated beside her, leaned her head against the cold bark, and exerted her knees with force to her stomach, anxiously observing her from the denizens of falling cherry blossoms.

"Waaaaah, she's so beautiful; she looks just like a prince with that hairstyle," she complimented silently during the moment she closed the book for the stranger's sake.

Two of her hands brought themselves upward to her chin after her pupils reflected the adorable, sleeping face, "Prince..."

"Mm...prince?" she answered back, still with her eyes closed.

Nanoha glanced to her side, curving the borders of her lips upward, "Yes, a beautiful prince."

"Is that so...?" the blond-head's stabled hands that were on the ground have made a slight movement whilst her unconsciousness was out of control until…

...her eyes slowly swung open and were taken aback.

"Gah!" She reversed herself without delay as Nanoha heard the rustles of pink leaves from the mysterious girl's startled hands, excluding the book to fall.

The young woman took her by surprise!

"I...! I extremely apologize for disturbing you!" the blue-eyed adolescent bowed her head which forelock hair dropped on her eyes.

The bewildered lady compressed her lips altogether, clutching her book opposed to her chest, "W-Who are you? What are you doing here?"

She refused to bring back an eye-contact, only her crimson orbs looking down at her lap alongside a flush of red color over her cheeks. Nanoha had the idea she was a bashful, ever so innocent girl, a person that seemed to dislike anyone's presence whenever she was off guard...rather someone disturbing her privacy.

"A passerby, you could say." The smaller girl's head looked up, her fingertip lightly scratching her temple to the extent she gradually built a nervous giggle, "I'm so sorry! I just thought you were so cute when you were sleeping."

She eventually stopped laughing. They were both bathed in a mountain of fluttered petals as Nanoha intently stared at her.

"Uh...um! Please sit at the opposite side of this tree!" she embraced her book even more.

The jobless girl tilted her head in bewilderment as she felt her eyes blinked two times, agitatedly shifting them around the vicinity, "Eh? For what?"

"P-Please! Just do it!" the diffident abruptly shouted.

Following her order, she stood up. She slowly walked around the large plant, descended on the pink efflorescence, pulled her knees to hug, and tipped her head against the hardcover of the tree. A cherry tree which lay between the two of them kept their distances high. Nanoha overheard an action from a not-so-faraway place: The submissive gal flushed soundlessly. The brown-haired lady knew the intellect kept the heat with a sigh.

Just as Nanoha slyly turned her head to glance at the unspecified girl's back that the tree partially hid the half, the person revealed her head and swiveled an embarrassed reaction at the sly Nanoha, "D-Don't look at me!"

"O-Okay," she withdrew the stare from somewhere else.

The particular word haunted Nanoha's thoughts, _Cute._

She cocked her head to the tree and closed her eyes once again, exposing her composure, "Say."

"What?" The flustered youth responded from hardly any troubles.

Nanoha indirectly smiled at her, "Are names that important?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" A curiosity grasped at the edge of her voice.

The brunette flew her eyes to the open air, "You asked me who I was, and I only said 'a passerby.' Are you still going to ask for mine?"

"M-Maybe," the blond-haired girl murmured, "I mean yes."

"I see." She acted for a response.

She repeated the same procedures in order to approach her again. Once Nanoha was in front of her, the single pony-tailed young woman who hid her mouth with the book stayed on her cheeks that were up to her nose, a glow remaining behind it.

"I didn't want to be rude if I wasn't going to tell you my name," The younger-looking significant beamed.

The gentle breeze stretched out shortly while numerous cherry blossoms blandly brushed their bodies. The unidentified person enlarged her eyes—stabled on her shivering skin due to Nanoha's attendance. Her rufescent scarf's ends danced along the wind.

She reached a silence at the same time she introduced herself by clasping hands between her legs, bowing then facing up to bring a hand salute along a blue-eyed wink, "Nice to meet you! I am Takamachi Nanoha!"

The published document that shrouded the girl's mouth was placed on one of the roots of a tree.

She stood up for the sake of bowing her head down as well within the exception of doing it much formally, "Please to meet you too. My name is Testarossa Fate."

Nanoha could not believe herself. She was spellbound by the girl's looks, the girl's name, and the girl's way of stating her introduction. There were no flaws to begin with. She could not help but find Fate adorable by her blushes. How taller she was as well!

One eye winked longer than usual, Nanoha's hands on her hips, "Wow, what a unique name. There aren't many names like yours in this world, you know."

"T-Thank you, Takamachi-san," She blushed stronger at the highest peak.

Two arms touched Fate's black bow from behind where the energetic girl smoothly arranged it.

Fate's brinks trembled, "W-What are you doing?"

"Sorry, am I too familiar with you? If you want, I can stop."

"Ah, no, it's fine," she once again saved the heat with another sigh.

After a few minutes of twiddling her black bow, she reminded her of the status.

"Finished," when she released the palm of her hands from Fate's ornament, one tugged at the edge of her sleeve.

"T-Takamachi-san?" She wondered aimlessly for Nanoha's sudden action.

"I...I'm scared to say I have to go," She broke loose of Fate's white cloth and gazed up at her.

"If you need to leave now, I won't force you to stay," her eyes were saddened by the immediate abandonment just as she forced a beam on her face, "I don't want to be a bother."

"W-Will I see you again?" Nanoha interrogated in agitation.

Her eyes wandered off at the moment blood attacked around her cheeks, "O-Of course! Tomorrow, whenever you have time to come here."

The helpful lady repetitively pressed two of her fingertips and tapped her foot for an indication of embarrassment, "Nyahaha...thank you very much."

"Bye," she took the conversation into an end after she gradually left several feet away from Fate.

"Bye!" Nanoha waved her hand back and forth before she remembered a statement she forgotten to say to the young lady, "Ah, T-Testarossa-san?"

The continuing flowerets gently dashed down over their figures.

"Yes?" the blond-haired lady questioned, smiling.

She scratched her cheek in an abashed compensation, "T-Thank you for being my new friend."

There was a long silence before she stated a sentence until she started to wave her hands, "I can say the same thing to you, Takamachi-san!"

Nanoha bowed her head once more as a goodbye and turned her direction to the city. When she left Fate, the abash emotion did not remain longer due to the strong sadness crushing her heart. She could not search for ease but to find more wanted employments in locations. She knew she did not want to leave Fate because of that. On the back of her mind, Nanoha already knew she missed Fate. Nonetheless, in early night, she finally tumbled on the mattress with prostration killing her limbs. She laid on her back with no hesitation. The exhausted job seeker arranged the blanket that covered every part of her body within the exception of her face.

The hunt of seeking more jobs was a major failure as to why she went home earlier than she thought she could be. They, or she should say, the administrators in each places refused to accept her as an employee. Must it be because she seemed to lack skills, or were they just judgmental because of her looks? Either way, Nanoha had no further interrogations of seeing their lack of excuses of her being an unnecessary worker. Immediately upon that matter, she casted it aside and thought about the girl's face she recently met.

_Her skin was as white as a sunny cloud, legs so fine and extended that she could have been a model. The hips were a great feature that would make any girl envious, her eyes were incredibly mesmerizing which would belong to a wise one like her, and especially her chest that was so, _She reflected, _What am I thinking?_

Her arms had the need to pull the covers upward to her mouth as she allowed Fate's image to pass at a distance.

In due time, she finally collapsed in a deep slumber, still remembering the prince-like's appearance with a smile.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Nanoha decided to wear a loose, gray sweater, a pair of blue jeggings, a pair of flat, black boots, and a burgundy bag for her attire.<p>

She anxiously hurried to the pathway of cherry trees without hesitation.

"Takamachi-san! G-Good morning!" A delighted Fate was seated on a bench than the place she was in before.

With her slender body covered by a plain, gray jacket, a pair of black leggings, and a pair of white boots, her arm rushed to greet Nanoha for repeated patterns. Her lips were as pink as lilacs as well as her presence as gentle as the dancing cherry blossoms. A shade of red gems seeming father away chased after the brown-head's eye-contact as Nanoha ran toward the sudden outbursts.

Flame summoned on the cheeks after Nanoha sat down close upon her.

"Morning, Testarossa-san," She warmly smiled, "How are you doing?"

"Um...I'm good. And you?" The seemingly bookworm twitched because of her unsure response.

The active one gave large thumbs up at her, grinning, "I'm great!"

"So...Takamachi-san, how old are you?" she crossed her leg over another, her posture lady-like, her hand relaxed above the second.

Nanoha's forefinger touched her lower lip at the same second she looked up at the fuchsia trees, "I'm nineteen years old. Are you the same age as me?"

"Yes," she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "but I don't think we have the same interests."

"I don't think so. Can you tell me one thing you like?" Nanoha slowly swung her legs front and back, arms folded on her lap.

The red-eyed girl allowed a dozen of pink petals fall on her raised hand, influenced to take a glimpse at the movements of the objects. She withdrew her arm from the breeze to present what she liked whilst the corner of Nanoha's eye reached for another headlight contact.

"This," her peer softly puffed them in Nanoha's direction.

The greatest honey in the center of the flowers brushed her face, she understood that Fate had a stronger liking of nature than herself. It was something to cherish, and it was something to be proud about. She knew then the flower-lover was as gentle and growing as spring.

Nanoha gave out nothing but silence across her face before blue orbs sealed for a reign of peace.

Without knowing how many seconds, or should one say...minutes that they have passed the time, it was the most unnatural thing to do in a conversation especially if one recently met someone. That would simply make the conversation awkward. And yet, Nanoha felt as if she could do anything when she was around this cherry blossom-lover. She thought it was natural to do something like this.

Her head angled to Fate instead of facing forward as much as crisp, morning air danced with their hairs for roseate leaflets scattering everything in streams of the waning light.

A trail of arms headed to a portion of Nanoha's hair strands that stood in the way of her face. It was at the point silence governed the significant moment as if a lonely flower sought its end. Nanoha blinked in embarrassment. When a phrase escaped from Fate's mouth, the brown strings were placed around Nanoha's ear by Fate to take a halt from flying wildly. Only the cherry trees waved around the romantic second she practically touched Nanoha's cheek in a tingling reaction. She froze as stable as an ice, and the companion froze as well, their last movements continuing to play until it ceased.

Nanoha's chin was automatically raised due to her unthinkable action of demonstrating her curiosity, her upper figure reflected into Fate's pretty, kind optics, her lips formed into a shape of an O, a group of fire tremendously exploded near her cheeks, and the positive chills slipped around her back.

A large bell-like sonance drove right through Nanoha's eardrums as butterflies pounced beneath her stomach along the vibration inside her pocket. They abruptly returned to their comfortable zones as she stuck her phone abreast of her right ear as if nothing occurred. Fate nodded with a dumbfounded expression.

"I-I'm sorry, Testarossa-san. I have to take this," she promptly tapped the fingertips of her left hand at the side of her seat, "Hello?"

"Ah! Nanoha-chan! This is Suzuka. Are you on your way to the coffee shop?" Suzuka, who was Nanoha's close friend questioned for her presence.

"Umm...not exactly, nyahaha," She scratched her temple in guilt.

"Hmph! I knew she forgot about our girl's day-out," Arisa, who was also a friend of hers arrogantly retorted over Suzuka's background.

"Sorry sorry, I'll be right there," she responded to both of their statements and ended the connection.

"Takamachi-san?" a disappointed voice reached Nanoha's heart.

"I'm sorry, but I told my friends I'll meet up with them," She silently hit her face with the palm of her hand, "Mou...I completely forgot about that."

"It's not a problem." the bloodshot-eyed shifted her eyes toward Nanoha's to indirectly ask for an answer.

"...I'll be glad if I come back here," she flashed a smile to an every inch of gratitude.

"I-If you," Fate gulped in a trembling voice, "don't mind at all."

"I see!" The girl's curled fists were on her own lap which squeezed them to stand up from the furniture. She lost its grips so that she could end her farewell by bowing formally, "I'll see you later, Testarossa-san."

She did not turn back to see her expression, but she has always pondered what would it be if she did.

* * *

><p>Her laziness could no longer catch up the time when Nanoha found herself sitting on a chair along with Arisa and Suzuka. Arisa had a medium, yellow hair and pale, green eyes while two locks of hairs in the front stood out as well as tiny ribbons on the sides. Suzuka, who possessed a dark, long purple hair color with a white headband around her upper head suited her blue gems. They both had their usual appearances such as their feathered jackets outside of their shirts, two combinations of tights, doublets of comfy boots, and two scarves.<p>

"So, what is this all about?" Nanoha said, sipping her decaf coffee between three words.

"You-know-who~" The purple-haired lady intertwined both hands under her chin as her elbows supported them on the table.

All she could say was, "What?"

"Don't pretend, Nanoha! We know what you've been doing," Arisa leaned against her chair at the same time her arms were crossed.

The finished coffee serving rested on a tea plate, "Umm...Arisa-chan, Suzuka-chan. I really don't know what you're talking about."

Arisa smacked her forehead then stood up, arms on the table as if she was about to do push-ups without her head being faced down, "Yuuno! We're talking about Yuuno!"

"Ah! Yuuno-kun!" She snapped her finger within a discovery.

The blond smacked her forehead again, "Yes, him."

"What about Yuuno-kun?" she wondered innocently before she stared up at Arisa.

Suzuka, on the other hand broke in ecstasy, "We're asking if you made a move yet."

"Well, no." Nanoha clasped her hands to her mouth, the small mumble delivered through the room.

"Why not? Isn't this a chance for you to get a boyfriend?" Arisa sat back and nipped a taste of her beverage.

The gentler girl closed her eyes to smile, her hands in the same position, "Arisa-chan's right," she lost the clutch of her dark, blue orbs to eye-contact her in no time, "I think Yuuno would be a great boyfriend after what you've told us about him."

"Demo...I'm too busy for those kinds of things. Besides, I'm looking for a part-time job this winter break," the excited teenager checked the time on her wrist watch that presented nine in the morning, "Well, it's time for me to look for one! Arisa-san and Suzuka-chan, thank you for the treat! Bye!"

Morning was a blur. It was nothing but wonderment for Nanoha if Fate was still waiting for her by the line of cherry blossoms. Then again, she was able to deal with that right after she would have a job to pay for her new apartment. It was her decision to depend on herself and no one else right before declaring her parents that she has always needed to live alone—indeed she never wanted to be a burden to them.

In a few more minutes, she wandered off to the district of skyscrapers before she twisted the doorknob of a simple yet drawn bookstore and pushed the door open to enter the light atmosphere. Rows of published documents lay throughout the vicinity, the aroma of these booklets gave her a sense of relief, and the positivity trailed her neck where there was the tidiness of marbled, beige floor. Novels have done their jobs as much as filling the gaps of burgundy shelves contrary to the white walls everywhere. Only simplicity dictated the place of knowledge where numerous halogen bulbs were above Nanoha's head to steer the way to the dominant desk or to the shelves. She approached the main counter where she saw a person's back in front of her just as she witnessed him or her rearranging several buildings of books.

"Excuse me!" She brought attention by standing near the front desk and by shouting toward his or her direction.

"Ah, welco—" when the person turned around, she recognized that someone's face.

She was beyond shock, "T-Testarossa-san?"

"Takamachi-san? W-What a coincidence," Fate carried a tower of books under her arms followed by an attempt of placing the heavy stack at another table.

Along the way, her feet paced carefully from obviously preventing the objects to collapse. She was fine going off her own until bits of stumbling with her body and losing her direction due to the books in the way assumed Nanoha the exact minute Fate was going to fall.

"Watch out!" She exclaimed that her steps entered a slippery area.

Her foot was the cause of the slip from the ground the instant her belongings scattered everywhere. She was slammed against the flooring as well as her whole body joining along the trip. She fell on her bottom—hard and painful when the clumsiness ceased.

_I'm such an idiot! I didn't warn her soon enough, _Nanoha emphasized the phrase in the deepest edges of her mind.

"Ow…" Fate continued to rub her bottom in misery.

At a short gap, the concerned girl ran to her quickly and felt her knees about the ground, only this time, Nanoha assisted her at the hand of placing one around Fate's shoulders to force her to stand up, "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright," the modest girl stood up, released from Nanoha's arms.

She added, clenching her fists to the maximum strength, "This may be the reason no one comes here often. I-I'm too disorganized. And look what a mess I've made."

"I'll help you. This is the least a customer can do when she sees the librarian in trouble," The merry feeling was at the tone of the friend's voice, "And...you're wrong. This place is simple, but this is beautiful enough for the people."

She had a relaxed edge of her voice, "Thank you, Takamachi-san."

"Shall we clean up?" she insisted, picking a book up.

"Yes!" the blond-haired girl agreed.

She joined after Nanoha where the two of them eventually settled the things to Fate's desired destination.

There was a last book abandoned on the ground, and Nanoha approached by folding her legs to latch onto it until a hand other than hers reached for the object at the same moment. A shadow already emerged when she glanced up just to see the young woman grabbing the book as well. Their hands touched above the additional right before Nanoha gently snatched her hand back away.

"S-Sorry," she moistened her lips with her tongue at the same time she has ascended into a standing position.

"It's okay, I'd like to thank y-you for helping me," standing up to face her, Fate remained demure as ever.

"You're welcome, but actually," she cleared her throat, "Are you hiring anyone right now?"

"Oh, yes. I've always wanted help from someone," she picked up the book and placed it to the others.

The desperate lady smiled, "Do...do you mind if I work here with you?"

Her companion stared at her, breathless with embarrassment then said, "I-I don't mind. What would be your reason to join me?"

"Umm...I don't have a job," she answered in honesty.

She pressed the palm of her hands with excitement, "Oh, that's right. Then...welcome aboard."

"Y-You mean you're not going to interview me or anything?" Nanoha was too shocked to hear an employee of a place to actually **accept** her.

Fate nodded happily while she progressed to the main counter and contended with her newest coworker, showing the functions and how an employee should work in this library. Throughout the day, there were a few customers who purchased or borrowed books from the library. It was quite the kind of time that it was usually peaceful with Nanoha's leader. She has learned some things about Fate: she loves poetry, she loves her family, and she loves music that puts her at ease. Even she shared her adoration of things and people! It was very blissful to witness how she opened her heart to Nanoha bit by bit. Most of all, the diligent girl was glad to be by Fate's side.

It was not long before they closed for the night, yet Fate asked for a minute to do something inside while the young lady stood leaning next to the door that was nearly shut, puffing out white circles under her breath. In a flash, Fate pulled the doorknob to seal the entrance. Here she stood, wearing a dark blouse, a light skirt, a pair of black leggings, and the white boots she had worn all day. Her hair was down, and her ribbon was knotted at the end of it. She did not have her glasses, but the crimson eyes of hers were completely noticed.

"Testarossa-san, you...you live there?" she was suddenly glued to her.

"A-Ah, yes. I do l-live here," she fiddled with her forefingers, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Her bangs nearly covered her eyes, locks of hair brushed her temples, a gap lay on her forehead, a small group of antennas stood out, her nose was sharp enough, her brows were carefully thinned, and her lips were as soft as silk clothing. Could there be any flaws of her? Nanoha would have to disagree!

"It's okay, I'm not mad," she said slowly, shouldering her handbag, "It must be a really lovely home."

On second thought, _Fate must have been lonely all this time._

She nodded and mentioned another topic, "Would you like me to walk you home? It's getting late."

"S-Sure, if you don't mind," the loving girl stared down at her feet, cheeks reddening greatly.

Red steamed, Fate swerved the edges of her lips upward, her eyes shut with entwined hands behind her back. Her back was turned, and she commenced to saunter through a stretch of a sidewalk. Across from her, the hem of Nanoha's scarf danced in the calm breeze as if it was a flag while the outlines of Fate's body were luminous as much as the grey moon. Dazed she was, she snapped out of it to catch up to the extended, blond hair swaying gracefully which led her to a group of heartbeats in each step.

Voices that were delivered once in the city eventually faded into silence. The night, thin clouds passed dramatically whilst clusters of stars bedazzled beyond the dark coat of the sky. The night itself was exciting to observe from thousands of people underneath. It seemed to be covered as if it was in a dome, and the sparkling soft lights seemed to appear closer.

"Takamachi-san?" her voice called out, turning back to look at her.

Beneath the shooting stars and the constellations, Nanoha who coincidentally flashed her eyes from the startled din of the location she was in. "Ah, s-sorry."

Lightly rubbing them, she blinked several times to pull herself together. A quaint sonance of the place, she caught herself to scurry beside her boss at side of the road where only a few transportations came forth. Under their wheels, a thump or a screech from them, their headlights shot spheres of light to their direction, and sooner, the moving conveyances passed their paths without fail. The skyscrapers grew bigger every time Nanoha stepped on the cold-hearted cement once more, and she felt that this moment was endless.

Her partner entered a poem she was fond of:

"For winter's rains and ruins are over,

And all the season of snows and sins;

The days dividing lover and lover,

The light that loses, the night that wins;

And time remembered is grief forgotten,

And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,

And in green underwood and cover

Blossom by blossom the spring begins."

She turned her face to cast a glimpse of the full-fledged romantic.

The taller girl blushed, taking a moment to collect her thoughts, "Algernon Charles Swinburne."

"Mm, a poem?" she bent her neck for a belief of the cutie's statement.

"Yes," her cheeks flared to a greater supreme, "What does Takamachi-san like?"

She wondered first before she would answer her administer's question, head faced up as an index finger thrust her chin.

"Um...I love my friends, my family, relaxing music, and...anime. Most likely magical girl themes! I also like to shop clothes. I guess that's it. Oh!" a curled fist thumped the palm of her hand in surprise, "I like food too, nyahaha."

Fate answered back with a thumb up sticking against her lips as she giggled softly.

And right where they were already standing in front of Nanoha's apartment, the hypnotized female snapped out of her imaginations of what would be the possible occurrences.

"Takamachi-san, we're here," she jogged the adolescent's memory that it was time to lose their ties.

"Eh? Ah...thank you for taking me home," she bowed cutely, a blush staying at the bridge of her nose.

She cupped the borders of her glasses to prevent flying dust to get into her eyes, "Y-You're welcome. Well, I should go now. Have a good night, Takamachi-san."

For the time being, she started to pace away from Nanoha. But when she turned to see, her accomplice was already saluting her with a tip of a smile. Fate saluted back and dissolved her shadow into the lights of the city whereas the blue eyes followed Fate for the rest of the time.

After two weeks of having Fate by her side, she worked harder day by day to receive her wages. Not only that, but be helpful to the library attendant. It was not long that she has spend time with her friends and family, besides the fact that she always looked forward to Fate's presence by reacting to her so lively.

* * *

><p>In an early morning, rays of light shot the visible figure of the 19-year-old whilst a cellphone on the bedside table vibrated maniacally. And there, a bed enough for one person—a large comforter and below itself, a sleeping Nanoha dreamt soundly.<p>

An arm popped from the thick sheet, snaking around the desk to reach for the alarming sound.

"Hello…?" She sluggishly answered her phone under the covers.

"N-Nanoha?" a nervous voice called her name as a form of greeting.

One hand rubbed the line beneath her eye to remove the particles, "Yuuno-kun. Good morning…"

"G-Good morning. Arisa-san and S-Suzuka-san told me that you're working s-somewhere," he cleared his throat for a sense of ease, "Do you mind if you can show me around?"

Nanoha's adrenaline rushed to a wild expansion, "S-Sure. I'll meet you up."

Must it be her agitation toward Yuuno or Fate?

"I'm sorry, Yuuno-kun." she sighed.

He wore attire similar to Fate's—white buttoned sleeves, black, low pants, rectangular glasses, and a single pony tail. He had long, blond hair down his bottom with eyes that had a tint of green.

"F-For what?" he was on the verge of panicking.

She said, "For taking so long."

As they sauntered deeper into the library, her sped-blood never vanished, more like she was too nervous or too upset to introduce Yuuno to Fate. Nanoha was aware that Fate was standing behind the main desk, stamping books side to side. In a blink of an eye, she hunched correctly. Across from the room, the timid young woman did exactly what the burnished-haired girl guessed within the exception of her appearance. She did not put her hair up like the same days, and she had no possession of her glasses especially her black skirt and her black blouse with ribbons on edges. She wore the same overalls from two weeks before—_**the night that she realized something, and that something must be...**_

"Testarossa-saaaaaan!" her hands waved into the air for seeking attention.

"Good morning," Yuuno, on another matter, acknowledged the owner of the library and the library itself.

"Hello," she stopped her work and immediately brushed the dirt from her thighs.

The two friends approached the counter where Fate brought soft, kind eyes to the people.

"This is Yuuno-kun, my childhood friend," she took a stare of her best chum.

He affirmed his name, bending every part of his body, "Scrya Yuuno. Please to meet you!"

"Good morning, Scrya-san. My name is Testarossa Fate. Please feel welcome," Fate welcomed him properly, bowing her head instead.

He nodded soundlessly as Nanoha asked, "How was your sleep, Testarossa-san?

"It was fine, how about yours? Hey, did you hear about that new song?"

Soon enough, the pair drew themselves into a peaceful conversation with small giggles between their sentences.

Yuuno witnessed Nanoha tapping her foot and entwining her hands abaft her waist. He clenched his fist but lost his frustration when she turned around to interrogate him.

"Right, Yuuno-kun?"

"R-Right," he reluctantly agreed; he had no idea of what the two were discussing about, "Uh-Um, there's something that I want to ask you, Nanoha."

"Yes?" her jowls reddened tremendously.

He clapped two hands ahead of his face, "P-Please go on a date with me!"

"A...a date?" she was too surprised to even finish a proper sentence.

Fate destroyed the strange aura slithering around their necks, "Well, Takamachi-san has a day off today, **right **Takamachi-san?"

She only wanted to make Nanoha happy, but Fate knew, in the chambers of her heart, that she was praying with all she could that the sparkling girl would object to such things.

"Y-Yes, I do," opposed to Fate's actual expectation, she did not consider Fate's secretive affections.

The blond wore a forced smile and sunk lower to her chair just as her heart buried to the dark abyss, her voice cracking secretly, and trying to hold her tears, "Have fun, Scrya-san, Takamachi-san."

Yuuno declared, already started to push the door to the open environment and waited for his date to come to him, "Please excuse us, Testarossa-san. We will be going now."

"Shouldn't you go with him?" she murmured.

Nanoha burst into disappointment in her voice, "Testarossa-san, are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then..." she grabbed Fate's hand and squeezed it gently, "Arigato, Testarossa-san. For everything."

"You're welcome," she murmured once again, sorrow containing at the edge of her tone.

Nanoha let go of her hand, waved an arm, and scurried off to Yuuno. Staring down at her boots, bitter tears ran down the edge of Fate's crimson eyes and covered her face with the palm of her hands.

* * *

><p>The pair went to a carnival where they first went to a ferris wheel and afterwards, a break for a snack. Yuuno Scrya sat on a bench, seated next to his date. With all the distant laughter and screams, various colors of balloons and the whiff of popcorn, hotdogs, or cotton candy floated into the air.<p>

"What's wrong?" he felt concerned when he saw Nanoha's ice cream dripping down the ground.

"Nothing...it's just..."

He couldn't help but ask, "Just?"

"There's something missing," she said honestly.

Yuuno licked another part of his ice cream, "What do you think?"

"Mm...nothing, nevermind." she forced the curves of her lips to ascend.

With all the events passing on so quickly—specifically Nanoha and Yuuno's date in a carnival, the morning and the afternoon ended in a flash. They found themselves in a park, standing in the front of a fountain where the two childhood friends were five inches away. They laughed nervously, their eyes stared straight forward as much as trying not to avert their gazes.

"I-I had a great time, Yuuno-kun," she gave a smile that was already hypnotizing for Yuuno.

"Well, it was nothing," he tried to act cool, but he could not help his arm bending behind his back.

"I-It was something," She glanced down the ground, the blush remaining longer, "but."

"But what?" The green-eyed friend questioned bluntly.

"There's another something that I knew, that I knew I can never imagine you more than a childhood friend," she drew a glance at him, "I'm sorry, Yuuno-kun, but I already have someone waiting for me to come home."

He stood in shock, frozen as ice until he uttered, "I understand...no worries, Nanoha. I know someday, there will be another girl waiting for me, and I will find her just as that person's waiting for you."

"Thank you so much, Yuuno-kun," the brunette-haired adolescent bowed for her apologies and for her thanks at the same time.

The girl fled to the light of leading it to Fate and urged herself to sprint faster. She ran straight to the city, neon lights reminded her of Fate, cement reminded her of Fate, stores reminded her of Fate, cars and bikes reminded her of Fate, billboards reminded her of Fate. To her, Fate was everywhere. Dozens of crowds passed by, her large impact of running toward her destination without stopping. She could not forgive herself for making her so lonely, she thought of just wanting to embrace Fate for the longest time, but she could not. She was still in reality. The blue-eyed lady was near the buildings, clusters of people blocking her way, and as the skyscrapers and the people lessened around her surroundings, she recognized she was closer to her. The orangey-yellow meteor shower displayed around the outdoors, and slowly, the night came in to fill the whole park. Her destination was the first time they met—where pink cherry blossoms submerged to their bodies.

And only in a few seconds, she barged in, gasping from the miles of going after her along white puffs escaping from her mouth. She witnessed Fate standing across from her who was clearing her tears by a soft napkin.

"I forgot to tell you…when you're in love with someone; you first look at the person in the eye and say that person's name over...and over again," she haltingly took the primary steps to Fate's direction, a sound scratched her own boots.

Fate had her last sniff and swung her arms open wide, "Nanoha."

"Fate-chan!" crying as much as she was, the angelic girl lunged forward to tackle into her arms, resting on the librarian's chest.

She, who was the victim of this, instead leaned in much greater as her arms gently slithered underneath Nanoha's and softly grip her cold flesh as hard as she was able to, "Nanoha."

"Fate-chan," she felt like melting, just as she felt the same as sharing their mutual love.

Nothing stopped them from always staring at each other with filled redness upon their faces.

With one kiss through a silhouette, they left nothing but an innocent love just by embracing another and by a statement of…

_**The night that she realized something and that something must be her love for Fate Testarossa.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I thought that Fate would look better if she had a ponytail just like from MSLN Force, but the glasses were my choice. I know she had the "look" like Yuuno from StrikerS, but I believe an "ideal" librarian usually wears glasses. Still, she's a millions time better than anyone. *is a Fate Testarossa fan* Anyway, hope you enjoyed it.

Second chapter coming up.


	2. Love With You

**Author's Note: **When I read the previous chapter, it wasn't enough to satisfy me **or** the readers. And yes, KoSSa, you were right that I rushed in the end. I'm a lazy idiot indeed. 8D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters from the mangas and animes, Magical Girl (Record) Lyrical Nanoha (A's/StrikerS/ViVid/Force) which are owned by Masaki Tsuzuki, Seven Arcs, Toei Animation & Geneon Entertainment.

Right after a kiss in the hazy moonlight, Nanoha was able to see glitter of teardrops sliding beneath the rim of Fate's glasses, creating sparkling streaks down the edges of the bookworm's face. The sight saddened and overjoyed Nanoha more than she knew that seeing Fate was a good and bad matter, and she could not help herself squeezing the taller girl with all her being. With one movement, they withdrew their exchanging warmth and gazed into each other's eyes.

"Guess what?" the cinnamon-haired girl grabbed a whiff of the evening air.

She rubbed the tears by her dark sleeve as she attempted to give the right answer, "You're sniffing?"

"Hmm...that too, but what matters the most is," a forefinger gently tapped the blonde's nose, "I. Love. Fate-chan."

"Nanoha," the romantic floated a sweet, heart-grasping smile—so much that Nanoha could no longer restrain from kissing her on the cheek, "I love you too!"

And along the line of nocturnal cherry blossoms, they carefully paced small steps in unison and continued to stare intimately with one another, walking hand in hand.

Despite that Fate expected a peaceful meeting with Nanoha's companions in a peaceful morning, it was sheer embarrassment that it was going to happen _now._ There was no time for the taller youth to reflect because the obstinate girl, without a doubt, pushed Fate's back with force, insisting her to enter the area that was a few feet away from them. All Fate could do was refuse by shaking her head and hiding her mouth and her nose to signify that it was a task she did not want to do. The brunette-haired girl had not lost her grip of her cotton-made fabric until the taller girl was inside the cafe.

"Fate-chaaan, please," she accelerated a force of movement, "go," again, she struggled, "inside."

Even with the obligation to attend the friendly encounter with Arisa, Suzuka, and Yuuno, Fate persisted of scraping the outsole of her black boots against the rough surface, her footwear affecting pebbles on the ground to rapidly skip in low, various directions.

She refused to do such thing, "Nanoha, please," in an added pause, she mentioned, "don't...do...this."

"Why," she pushed her as hard as she could, "not?"

"Because," Fate resumed to hinder, "They might..."

The azure-eyed student froze and only stood behind her, "Think it's gross? Look, there's nothing wrong of a girl loving another. Fate-chan is Fate-chan. She is head over heels with me, and I am too. Besides, Arisa-chan, Suzuka-chan, Yuuno-kun, and everyone else will understand."

Flustered, the taller girl turned around to gawk at her girlfriend.

"It's not like that! It's just...I'm not ready yet," her blush expanded beyond her cheeks which included her ears to flare violently, "You didn't give me enough time to dress well."

Nanoha could not understand why Fate never recognized her own true beauty through casual clothing. The demure adolescent wore a comfortable, black blouse with an ash blonde-tied lace up to her collar, a lighter black feminine jacket heated her shivering body, her black ruffles stayed at the end of her blouse, two other yellow laces were on each side of her overall that covered part of her delicate arms, her ever-so-conspicuous, jet-black mini skirt portrayed impression from others, a pair of high socks assisted her legs from attaining coldness, and her dark boots which possessed red shoelaces were two inches higher than her ankle. And to finish her attire, she had a black-yellow wristwatch and an orange handbag over her shoulder. She did not wear her reading glasses; a black bow was once again at the end of her bright, extended hair, gripped tightly around the strands and covered her whole back to her bottom. As for Nanoha, she did not care as long as she wore a light blouse, a buttoned blue coat, a white mini skirt, a pair of socks, a pink scarf, a pair of winter boots, a sided pony tail, and a Crystal Ball handbag.

"Mou," Nanoha placed a step forward to saunter next to her lover, captured Fate's left hand with her right, mildly compressed it, and locked the connection between the hesitating girl and her, "Fate-chan is already beautiful with that kind of clothing; do you want me to keep flirting with you?"

She bit her lip in embarrassment, "I'm good, Nanoha. We should rather get going."

They entered the café where Nanoha immediately introduced Fate, her girlfriend to Yuuno and her friends.

"Guys, guess who my girlfriend is~" the brown-haired girl giggled faintly.

"Your idol, Hatsune Miku?" Arisa expected that Nanoha was that obsessed with that specific fandom figure.

"W-Wha?! No! I mean…it's true she is, but my _real_ girlfriend is the lovable Fate Testarossa," she was too giddy to even think about her fictional characters.

They eventually gave a good laugh and found that Fate was one who suited in the crowd, and someone who is happy to be with Nanoha, her soon-to-be-wife.

Author's Note: Yes, it's rushed…and I just happen to make a short story since this oneshot basically ended. . _ .


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